W330
Comparative Genomics of Rust Fungi Drives Research and Innovations

Date: Monday, January 13, 2014
Time: 12:50 PM
Room: Sunset - Meeting House
Guus Bakkeren , Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Summerland, BC, Canada
John Fellers , USDA-ARS, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
Vinay Panwar , Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Summerland, BC, Canada
David L. Joly , Department of Biology, Université de Moncton, Moncton, NB, Canada
Les Szabo , USDA-ARS, Cereal Disease Laboratory, U. of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
Jim Kolmer , USDA-ARS, Cereal Disease Laboratory, U. of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
Scot Hulbert , Washington State University, Pullman, WA
Meinan Wang , Washington State University, Pullman, WA
Chuntao Yin , Washington State University, Pullman, WA
Xianming Chen , USDA-ARS, Wheat Genetics and Disease Research Unit, Pullman, WA
Christof Rampitsch , Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Brent McCallum , Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Xiben Wang , Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Jon Goldberg , Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard, Cambridge, MA
Sarah Young , Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard, Cambridge, MA
Richard Hamelin , University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Barry J. Saville , Trent University, Peterborough, ON, Canada
Christina Cuomo , Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard, Cambridge, MA
Rust fungi cause devastating plant diseases on cereal crops.  Having previously sequenced the genome of Puccinia graminis f.sp. tritici (Pgt, causing stem rust), we now report on the sequencing of the genome of P. striiformis f.sp. tritici (Pst, stripe rust) and of several races of P. triticina (Pt, leaf rust). The genomes are large (Pst ~117 Mbp; Pt ~135 Mbp), are highly polymorphic, also among races, and are repetitive with Pgt at 35% and Pt reaching 42%.  Further genome statistics will be presented. Comparative analyses of predicted proteomes reveal 3728 (Pt), 4376 (Pgt) and 6567 (Pst) species-specific proteins, with over 2244 orthologs specific to all three cereal rusts. Proteome comparisons within a larger group of rust fungi (including poplar leaf rust, Melampsora larici-populina) and among 10 basidiomycetes will also be presented. Over 300 candidate effector genes are highly upregulated in planta suggesting they play a role during infection. RNAseq data however also reveal transcripts specific to the urediniospore and sexual stages as represented by aecio- and pycniospores produced on the alternate host. This comprehensive analysis serves as a benchmark for new directions and innovations towards crop protection. Innovations included the use of an antibody to purify haustoria for race-specific proteomes, the comparison of genomes and transcriptomes of Pt genetic lineages to reveal correlations with disease phenotypes, the functional characterization of Pt mating-type genes through testing in a heterologous Ustilago system, and HIGS of candidate fungal genes to assess their role in pathogenicity and resulting level of disease suppression in wheat.
Back to: Fungal Genomics
Previous Abstract | Next Abstract >>